Whitewater council delays funding decision for bus line

WHITEWATER — The Whitewater Common Council delayed a decision to fund a regional bus line until it could hear from the program's biggest benefactor, according to a story in the Jefferson Daily Union.

The Innovation Express, a bus line that carries passengers between Whitewater, Janesville and Milton, got its start last year, initially with a drop-off point at Generac, a manufacturing plant in Whitewater's business park. This year three additional stops in Whitewater were added. Statistics from the Janesville Transit System show for the first 10 months of 2013, over 5,600 riders were picked up at Whitewater stops along the route.

Discussion during the November 4 council meeting revealed costs for the service will rise in 2014, and the city of Whitewater would face an increase in its contribution to the program of over $18,000—money it would have to find through cuts or transfers in its 2014 budget.

Council members wanted to hear from a Generac about its contribution to the service, since the bulk of bus riders in Whitewater used the stop at the manufacturer. Generac did not send a representative to the meeting.